Colin Powell: Secretary Of Education?

Update - 11/6: MSNBC reported: "One person who will not be serving in an Obama administration: Colin Powell, who said he has not been approached by the transition team. He says he wants a new generation of leaders to step up and serve."

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Colin Powell has been mentioned as a potential member of Barack Obama's cabinet, both for Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Education.

In his endorsement of Obama, Powell called for a greater focus on education.

"I think the American people and the gentlemen running for president will have to, early on, focus on education more than we have seen in the campaign so far. America has a terrible educational problem in the sense that we have too many youngsters not finishing school. A third of our kids don't finish high school, 50 percent of minorities don't finish high school. We've got to work on this, and my, my wife and I are leading a campaign with this purpose."

Powell is a founder of America's Promise Alliance, a coalition of businesses, educators, and others working to improve the health and well-being of children.

Read more about Obama's cabinet on the HuffPost Big News page.

Comments

[feminancy]

I'd like to see Powell appointed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[Tanker10a]

He was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George Bush (Father)..­.. At the time Cheney was Secretary of Defense...­FYI: Desert Storm-Desert Shield.
I like the Secretary of Defense thing... That would fall in line with something that is near and dear to him: the youth movement..­. Or something like that...

[RobertHenryEller]

Colin Powell is a great and good man, who has always done what he thinks is best for his country. Perhaps his loyalty, which you cannot separate from his best qualities as a soldier, got in the way of speaking out against Bush on Iraq. But I believe the evidence shows that Powell was "had" on the WMD before the UN. Mr. Powell is also a man of "old school" honor, which many of us no longer see as honor. In other words, Mr. Powell took upon himself the blame for what he did and said at the UN; It would be against his code of honor to blame Bush, Cheney, or anyone else for deceiving and using him.

Colin Powell endorsed Obama, and did it with honor. I wished he would have done it sooner, but he didn't do it too late. In my book, Colin Powell has made good on his commitment to his country. Thank you, Mr. Powell for your service in the past, and for however you may see fit to serve in the future.

[harriettubman]

How would you speak out against your boss? Tell me. That's why Powell left before the second term. He took his dignity with him.

[amamomofsons]

Powell should be the Sec of Defense. He is qualified and could redeem himself for his past mistakes with the Bush administration. This could be another wonderful human way of showing the world that we GET IT and that we respect the entire man and not just the mistakes he makes.

[removeyourvail]

too late for change obama is already reincarnating the entire clinton administration

[Veneita]

vladimir putin thinks he's going to push Obama around. I wish Powell will agree to become ambassador to Russia. Such an appointment would make it crystal clear to putin that Obama isn't playing with him.

[InjunTrouble]

Why does Powell have to be in the cabinet? He has already disgraced himself over Iraq and never apologized for it.

Just because he endorsed Obama does not mean he deserves another chance.

[swift goat pet for truth]

The proper role for people like Colin Powell, or even Bill Clinton are Senior Advisors, or Special Envoys.

For example, Clinton, special envoy to the Middle East, where he is respected by both sides.

[GuyFawkes]

Even Powell knows he should stay far away from politics. He just doesn't have the temperment for it. But as an unofficial adviser, he'd be fine.

[cornflower]

No Colin Powell, please. Old guys, regardless of color, not the face of the change we need. And we really do need change - I hope Obama doesn't forget that. We did vote for him because we do want change and former Bush Admin officials, regardless of color, not the faceof the change we need. And former Clinton White House people, also not the change we need. Middle-age white men associated with the failures of the past also not the face of the change we need.

Geez, I'm worried already - is there no one under say 45 in this country who is super smart and capable of leading this country in new directions who has not already served in government and is not already associated with the failures of the past? Not one? Oh, I understand that you need some experienced people around to guide you through the transition into the corridors of power, but I'm not seeing any new faces here. I'm seeing a lot of tired names that I've already heard too many times, and more of the same.

[bdl0715]

Sec of Education- Arne Duncan
AG-Peter Fitzgerald

[karela]

Here is one thing that I think we need to consider: Many of the people with the skills, knowledge and experience to competently fill the positions needed---and who would be well accepted by the American people because we know and respect them---are already in important jobs. We don't want to take our senior senators out of the Senate or out of important committee chairmanships and replace them with junior senators who won't be elegible for those chairmanships for decades. We don't want to lose strong democratic governors in states where their leadership and cooperation with a new administration is so important. We need skilled people in these important positions AND we need the confidence of our people. Some of the well known and respected leaders in America are available without vacating another important job because they are not presently in government. I don't think that we should automatically discount asking for their help. If everyone that Obama chooses for his cabinet and for other important positions is someone that you never heard of and know nothing about, how would you feel about that? The 2010 election will be an important one. Whoever controls the state legislatures and governorships will control the redistricting that will take place before the 2012 elections and that can make a tremendous difference in the outcome. Important Senate committee chairs can make a huge difference in what this new administration can accomplish. There is much to consider.

[TexasDem0]

Sec. Powell is wise to prefer “a new generation of leaders to step up and serve."
We no not need those who have experience without knowledge or insight.

I may be way off track here, but I believe we need senior people like Colin Powell, with experience, wisdom, and insight to serve our country as representatives to other countries as ambassadors, consuls, envoys, and diplomats in general. Think of the good will it would bring to the United States from another country just having someone like Colin Powell as the U.S. ambassador.

[globality]

Good idea lets take someone that lied to the UN general assembly and epitomizes the lies and deceit of the Iraq War WMDs and make him ambassador.

Maybe Rumsfeld could also serve

[TexasDem0]

We no not need those who have experience without knowledge or insight.
That eliminates almost everyone from the Bush administration.
Maybe I should have made that point more explicit.

[jorge4u]

I have the feeling that Obama will ask him to be in his Administration in some way, shape or form. Powell has the experience and other nations still respect him highly even after the Iraq fiasco.

[KillTheMessenger]

He would bring the stain of having lied in front of the UN and all of the world... great start for an ambassador, not. Powell is toast for the last five years. And he knows it.

[TexasDem0]

True, and I considered that, but I believe there may be a place for Colin Powell.

[karela]

Colin Powell also said that he would always listen to the president if he was asked. He is reluctant, but I haven't heard anything, including from this article, that definitively says that he would not serve if the president truly felt he was needed. I understand the point about new generation leaders, but there is also the point of getting the country to support and feel good about the programs and plans of a new administration. Colin Powell is deeply respected by a huge proportion of the American population. If he understood that his president sincerely needed him, I have no doubt that he would serve. He could be a valuable bipartisan addition to an Obama White House. He may not be called, but if he is, Colin Powell would never turn down the best interests of his country.

[joshuahmcdonald]

I'm with Powell on this one...let'­s limit the number of old guys in the administration. Seriously. We need fresh energy and ideas.

[bluekatz]

Obama needs to also limit the number of people who served in the Clinton Administration. Its time to remove all of the influences of the old. He needs diversity and new people with new ideas. I know there are many more people in this country that are more qualified than the majority of the n*tjobs in DC. The bar of intelligence must be raised and we cannot settle for anything less.

[joshuahmcdonald]

I completely agree!!!! Out with the old, in with the new. The story about how the Ambassadorships are not going to big donors but to competent diplomats is VERY encouraging!

[HerbTee]

So true Bluekatz..­.Obama should definitely limit the number of old "Clintonistas" that he brings into his new cabinet! It's well past time for some fresh blood, fresh ideas, fresh perspectives and new thoughtful and analytical approaches to our problems today!!

[Kware]

That is pretty selfless to put forth the notion of a "new set of leaders" in America when offered a position of power.

Politicians should look at Powell as an example of humility.